XGames
by rgoodfellow
Summary: An X-men (movieverse), Psycho-Six crossover


Just a reminder... I don't use chapters...  
X-games is more like two related stories, with a brief intermission. Hope you enjoy!

X-Games

  
  
A red light flared above the skyline, destroying the little sphere that flew above the buildings. Below, deep in the heart of the city, the fight raged on between a group of leather-clad fighters, and another in combat fatigues. The soldiers, while being vastly superior in numbers, were slowly being whittled away by their opponents, who were employing some very unusual tactics.  
  
_Snickt_.  
  
"Nice try Bub," Wolverine said as he slashed the man who had tried to catch him from behind. Another soldier nearby disappeared in a flash of brimstone as Nightcrawler teleported him into the locked storage room of a nearby store. In deference to his wishes the others were trying not to kill any of their opponents, but Wolverine was having a hard time. Lightning struck again and again, from a storm that was only a few blocks in radius, and Cyclops' optic blasts had destroyed most of their weapons. Finally a telepathic flare from Jean managed to knock out the rest of the soldiers, and the X-Men moved out, trying to avoid the owners of the sirens that were rapidly approaching.  
  
"Everyone get out of sight, we'll meet back at the jet," Cyclops yelled over the howling of wind Storm had called up. Even with his eyes covered by his visor, he managed to glare at Logan, who had stopped dead in his tracks.  
  
Wolverine, whose only other name was Logan, scented the wind. He knew very little about his past, he didn't even know if Logan was his first name or his last, but somehow he knew that scent.  
  
"Oh shit," out of the corner of his eye, he saw something streak towards Cyclops. Wolverine jumped, his adamantium claws slashing out to intercept the missile. He didn't like Cyclops, but Jean loved him, and Logan would do anything to keep her from being hurt. He howled his rage as what he now recognised as an arrow whistled past him.  
  
Cyclops gasped, and tried to fire his optic blast. The arrow skimmed past his head, clipping a few dark hairs on its way past.  
  
Snap. Crackle. Pop. Wolverine spun and saw one of the remote control spy planes the soldiers had been using crash to the ground behind Cyclops, a white fletched arrow protruding from its forward camera. Laughter drifted down from the rooftops, almost too faint for even his enhanced hearing. They all turned, following the arrow's trajectory back to the roof of a nearby building. Three forms stood, silhouetted against the sky, the remains of Storm's gale whipping at their clothing.  
  
After a moment, the figures disappeared, and the X-men resumed their withdrawal from the area. They took a roundabout route back towards the jet, letting Wolverine scout the way ahead of them and choose a route through the less populated areas of the city. Just as they were about to pass the point where two alleys met, Logan cocked his head, and held up his hand.  
  
Crouching down, he approached the alley, his senses working overtime. He knew there was someone in that alley, he'd heard movement. He heard something like the chiming of little bells, and caught a glimpse of movement. An instant later, he stood face to face with an auburn-haired, green-eyed young lady, his claws buried knuckle deep in her stomach.  
  
Her eyes unfocused slightly, and she smiled.  
  
"Well those are new. Long time no see Logan," she stepped closer, forcing his claws further into her stomach. Over her shoulder, he noticed two more people stepping out of the alley. Neither the young Asian woman, nor the dark-haired man with her, seemed upset about the blades protruding from their friend's back. Somehow Logan wasn't upset either. This was nothing like when he'd accidentally stabbed Rogue.  
  
"Cool blades Logan," the Asian girl said, examining the tips of his claws where they protruded from the other girl's back.  
  
"We should go before the cops get here," the young woman impaled on his claws said. "Then you can introduce us to your new friends."  
  
"You know me?" Logan asked, retracting his claws and stepping back. "From before these?" His claws reappeared briefly.  
  
"Of course we know you..." her voice trailed off. "But obviously you don't remember us," she said, smiling at Nightcrawler, who had leaned down to peer through the holes Wolverine's claws had left in her abdomen. "Can we discuss this somewhere else?"  
  
:_Bring them back to the mansion Logan. I'm sure you'll want to do some catching up._:  
  
"C'mon," Logan said, and the whole group followed. Cyclops shook his head, but didn't argue with the Professor.  
  
"Well that was nice," the green-eyed girl said to Logan. "Inviting us into his home," Jean gave her a startled look.  
  
With a soft _bamph_ Nightcrawler disappeared, going ahead to start the jet.  
  
"Love the smoke F/X," Keahi said as she walked through the brimstone scented smoke left behind by his disappearance.  
  
Soon they could hear the soft whine of the X-jet's engines, almost drowned out by the noise of the city around them. The jet was nothing more than a darker shadow, until Nightcrawler lowered the ramp for them. Wolverine was the last one in, sprinting up the ramp as it closed.  
  
He took a moment to show the three strangers/not-strangers how to use the safety harnesses in the rear, then followed his fellow X-Men into the cockpit. As the jet lifted off, Storm at the controls, Wolverine absentmindedly buckled himself in. Periodically he would turn and look at the closed door that separated the cockpit from the rest of the jet.  
  
"Logan," he turned, at the sound of Jean's voice. "Why don't you go check on them? I think they're getting bored."  
  
"Are you sure they're really his friends?" Scott asked.  
  
"That's about all I am sure of. I don't want to dig any further than their surface thoughts," Jean shook her head. "Storm, what's our ETA?"  
  
"We'll be there in about half an hour," Storm replied, checking the instruments. She took a moment to engage the X-jet's sophisticated anti-detection systems.  
  
A few moments later, Logan stepped out of the cockpit, followed by Cyclops.  
  
"Hey," the young man exclaimed, launching himself out of his seat. "Hello," he said, grabbing Cyclops' hand and shaking it vigorously. "I'm Aetolus. This is Robyn," he gestured to the auburn haired girl. "And Keahi."  
  
"Sorry about the haircut," Keahi said, looking up at Cyclops.  
  
"What?" Cyclops reached up to where the arrow had clipped a few hairs. "That was you?"  
  
"Yeah. Robyn bet me a bag of chocolate covered coffee beans that I couldn't make the shot. By the way," she turned to Robyn. "Pay up."  
  
"Yeah, sure," Robyn reached into a little pouch at her hip and pulled out a brown paper bag. "Here," she smiled.  
  
"Why does seeing her, with those, make me think something bad is going to happen?" Logan asked, turning to Robyn.  
  
"Because obviously your survival instincts didn't disappear with your memory," she laughed, nudging his shin with her foot. She and Keahi got out of their seats and trapped him in a hug.  
  
"I'd join in, but it probably wouldn't be appreciated," Aetolus laughed.  
  
"Aw, poor baby," Robyn said. "Are you feeling left out? Well too bad," she stuck her tongue out at him. "It's been almost twenty years since we gave Logan a hug."  
  
"Not to seem like I'm not enjoying this, 'cause I am," Logan looked down at Robyn and Keahi. "But I really don't remember any of you."  
  
"Well that's fairly obvious," Keahi said. "We've been standing here like this for almost five minutes, and you've been a perfect gentleman the entire time."  
  
Cyclops snorted softly. "I'm Scott Summers."  
  
"Call him Cyclops," Logan said.  
  
"Do you?" Keahi asked.  
  
"No," Logan replied with a straight face.  
  
"Anyway," Cyclops interrupted. "How long have you known Wolverine? You were what? Five? When you saw him last?"  
  
Robyn and Keahi gave him blank looks as they broke away from Logan.  
  
"You said you haven't seen him in twenty years..." Cyclops decided to change the subject. "Is one of your mutant abilities healing like Logan?"  
  
Logan looked down at where he had stabbed her. Not only were there no marks on her skin, but her clothes seemed untouched as well.  
  
"I know you're not Mystique Bub," he said, his claws resting against her throat. "'cause you don't smell like her."  
  
"Where did that come from?" Cyclops asked, confused.  
  
"I have no idea," Aetolus said. "But I'm sure it's going to be fun finding out."  
  
"What is it Wolverine?" Cyclops asked, turning to cover Keahi and Aetolus.  
  
"Her clothes. There are no holes in her shirt anymore."  
  
"And Mystique could do that?"  
  
"Yeah, but she didn't heal fast. You know about the scars."  
  
"So you're saying she's not Mystique, but... she's what? A shapeshifter?"  
  
Wolverine ignored Cyclops, something he was getting very good at. He stared at Robyn, eyes narrowed as he leaned closer. He towered over her, trapping her between the bulk of his body and the bulkhead of the plane.  
  
"Talk," he growled, his face barely centimeters from hers.  
  
Robyn grinned impishly and kissed him on the lips. Startled, he backed away.  
  
"Black leather is so you," she said with a wink. Wolverine took another step, backing into Cyclops, who stumbled. An optic blast plowed into Aetolus, driving him back into the wall.   
  
"Ladies?" he said after a moment.  
  
"Oh, okay," Keahi uttered a sharp syllable, and made a brief gesture. The energy was now stopped about a foot in front of Aetolus, and the beam began to transform into little paper stars. When, after a few moments, Aetolus stood about an inch deep in a pile of rainbow-coloured paper stars, the energy beam abruptly stopped.  
  
"Sorry," Robyn said with a shrug. "It was designed so that it couldn't be shut off using TK."  
  
"Oh, okay," Aetolus shrugged. "Thanks anyway."  
  
Cyclops was about to say something, when there was a soft _bamph_. "Ms. Gray has asked me to see if everything is all right," Nightcrawler said softly, looking around the compartment.  
  
"Guten nacht, we're all fine," Robyn said brightly.  
  
"Robyn?" Aetolus interrupted. "Would you like these?" He pointed at the pile of stars at his feet.  
  
"Oh yes please," Robyn closed her eyes, and the stars began to rise up and spread out. A few red and black stars nestled themselves in Keahi's hair, but the rest began to come together, creating a small elfin creature that skittered across the floor. It sent Scott stumbling out of the way as it dodged between his feet, then clambered to Nightcrawler's shoulder. It smiled up at him, and then planted a kiss on his blue cheek.  
  
"You little hussy," Robyn said with mock sternness. "Kissing a man when you don't even know his name," the little creature blew her a silent raspberry.  
  
"I am Kurt Wagner Fraulein, but in the Munich Circus I was known as the amazing Nightcrawler."  
  
"Hello Kurt. My name is Robyn, and these are my friends Keahi and Aetolus," the little star-creature broke apart, and spelled out each person's name above their head.  
  
"Robyn, this is a bit much," Keahi said, swatting at the stars above her head. She snapped her fingers, and the stars began to burn. They regrouped into the little creature, which began to run around the compartment. In its thrashing, it came too close to Logan, and he dispassionately squashed it, grinding it under his boot heel.  
  


* * *

"Welcome to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. I understand you're all friends of Logan's," Professor Charles Xavier greeted them as they emerged from the jet. While the X-men went to change out of their uniforms, the Professor lead the newcomers to his office.  
  
"And Jean tells me that some of you have telepathic abilities," he looked at Robyn. "You heard my invitation."  
  
"Well you weren't exactly keeping it to yourself," Robyn said looking around. "Nice digs. Reminds me of the palace."  
  
The Professor attempted to probe each of his guests, only to find himself thoroughly blocked.  
  
"I can see where your Ms. Gray learned her manners. That's really very rude," Robyn said.  
  
"You're very well shielded. Most people don't know when I'm scanning them," the Professor seemed curious.  
  
"When you deal with telepaths a lot, it pays to be well shielded," Keahi said softly.  
  
Just then, the X-men entered the professor's office, and he introduced them all to the newcomers. Finding themselves seats, they waited for Xavier to ask their questions for them.  
  
"Alright, first of all, how do you know Logan?"  
  
"He walked into a bar I used to... work in," Robyn said. "It took us a week to scrape the blood off the floor."  
  
"Blood?" Wolverine asked. He wasn't sure he wanted to know.  
  
"There was a bar fight. Someone tried to rape one of the bar girls," Aetolus said.  
  
"Her name was... Mei," Logan said, his eyes unfocused. He could see flashes in his mind: a young Asian girl, her eyes wide with fear, a man with a knife, Logan's own hands covered in blood, Keahi with a man skewered on a sword, Aetolus trying to stop Mei's bleeding, Robyn with blood spattered across her face.  
  
"Yes, it was Mei," Aetolus said softly. "After that the manager encouraged him to stick around. Just in case."  
  
"And how would someone encourage Wolverine to stay, if they wanted to?" Scott asked. Robyn looked at him in confusion.  
  
"Um... free beer. Look, we're willing to discuss Logan's past. With Logan."  
  
"I think I understand," the Professor acceded. "Very well, I'll move on to our other questions," Xavier turned to Aetolus. "How is it that Scott's optic blast didn't injure you?"  
  
"Because it didn't? Aetolus shrugged.  
  
"Do your mutant abilities include..."  
  
"I don't have any mutant abilities," Aetolus interrupted. "None of us do. I wasn't injured because I'm able to withstand more damage than a full human."  
  
"Human? What are you saying," even behind his glasses Scott's expression was obviously perplexed. "That you're aliens?"  
  
"No, not at all. Robyn's the only alien," Robyn waved, as Aetolus continued. "Keahi and I are from a little bit closer to home."  
  
"We were wondering Mr. Xavier..." Robyn interrupted his questioning.  
  
"Charles."  
  
"Charles. We'd like to stick around and visit Logan for a few days..."  
  
"Of course. You're welcome to stay in the guest suites. I'm sure you're all tired. Perhaps we could continue this conversation at another time," everyone stood, and Jean agreed to lead them to the guest wing. "Robyn?" The Professor stopped her as she headed out the door.  
  
"Yes?  
  
"I'd like to speak with you about your telepathy..."  
  
"The part of me that's telepathic is on vacation right now," she said with a smile. "But I can't help it when people think too loud."  
  


* * *

Several hours later Logan wandered into the kitchen, and found Robyn and Keahi playing cards at the table.  
  
"Where's Aetolus?" he asked.  
  
"He found the computer in the library," Keahi said, pushing a chair towards Logan with her foot.  
  
"What's the game?" he asked, sitting down.  
  
"Five card stud, stud. We're playing for Smarties," Robyn said, handing him a box.  
  
"Something isn't right," Keahi said, frowning. "Oh, I know," she reached down to her feet and Logan heard a familiar clink. Keahi handed him three bottles, and he deftly removed the caps.  
  
"Chivalry lives," Robyn laughed, accepting the blue-labelled bottle.  
  
"And Duncan nowhere to be seen. Amazing," Keahi grinned.  
  
"Is this Duncan someone I knew?" Logan asked.  
  
"Nah," Keahi shook her head. "Robyn only hooked up with him a couple of years ago," she turned to Robyn. "What was it ninety-seven, or ninety-eight?"  
  
"Yeah," Robyn dealt another hand. "About that."  
  
"Good beer," Logan said, scrutinizing the label.  
  
"It's the beer, out here."  
  


* * *

The next morning, some of the students found Logan and their three visitors asleep in lawn chairs out in the yard. Rogue leaned over, and laid a gloved hand on Logan's shoulder.  
  
"Logan. Logan? Wake up," she shook him gently.  
  
"Why?" he asked without opening his eyes.  
  
"'Cause we have gym class out here, and y'all are in the way."  
  
"I should never have had that second beer," Robyn groaned.  
  
"I thought you ran a bar?" Logan asked.  
  
"She does," Aetolus said, dragging his chair out of the way. He had joined the poker game in the wee hours of the morning, when he'd finished reconfiguring the school's computers. "She just doesn't drink much."  
  
"Keahi," Robyn nudged the still sleeping woman with her foot , only to receive a small dagger in her calf for her trouble. She ignored it, and poked her friend again. "Keahi, if you get up now I'll make you a cup of coffee," there was no answer. "And I won't take it away."  
  
Seconds later, Keahi was up, her knife had disappeared, and she was leading the way to the kitchen.  
  
"How long does their P.E. class last?" Aetolus asked as the entered the spotless kitchen.  
  
"Usually about forty-five minutes with Cyclops teaching it. Why?"  
  
"Keahi, do you think you can last that long?"  
  
"I guess."  
  
A half an hour later, the sky opened up and it began to rain. Keahi sat, head down, nursing her second cup of coffee. "Sorry."  
  
"Must've been a storm already on the way," Aetolus remarked, adding another spoonful of sugar to his cup.  
  
"It doesn't look like it'll last too long," Robyn said, selecting an apple from the bowl on the counter. "So what do you do for fun around here?"  
  
"This is a school. We have responsibilities to the students," Scott stepped into the kitchen, and used one of the towels to wipe the water droplets off of his glasses.  
  
"Having responsibilities doesn't mean you can't have any fun," Aetolus said. "I learned that a long time ago, from a good friend."  
  
Robyn smiled and threw her apple at Logan. His claws lashed out as he dodged, and sliced the apple into four pieces. The slices continued along their trajectory, until they came to rest hovering a few inches in front of Scott's face.  
  
Jean stepped into the kitchen and smiled at their guests.  
  
"Thanks Jean," Scott said as the apple floated away.  
  
"For what?" she turned, confused, and watched the apple float into Robyn's hand. "I didn't do that."  
  
"I did," Robyn said with a grin, taking a bite out of her apple.  
  
"Anyways, Scott, we have to take the children to the Museum of Modern Art with the Professor. We need to leave soon."  
  
"Yes, the bus is waiting," the Professor said from the doorway. "Logan, the older students are in classes with Ororo and Kurt. There shouldn't be any trouble, but I'd appreciate it if you and your friends would stay on the grounds in case they need any help."  
  
"Sure Chuck. No problem."  
  
The group followed the Professor to the Mansion's front steps, watching as Scott and Jean herded the children onto the bus. Logan's face lost some of its harshness as he listened to the children's laughter, and Keahi, Robyn and Aetolus all smiled at their youthful exuberance.  
  
"Were we ever that young?" Robyn asked.  
  
"No," Aetolus replied with a sigh.  
  
Once the children were on the bus, Logan pulled a cigar out of his shirt pocket. Keahi snapped her fingers, and the cigar began to smolder.  
  
"You guys are handy to have around," Logan sighed, blowing a smoke ring.  
  
"You have no idea," Robyn said, leaning against one of the marble pillars. They watched the bus disappear down the long, tree-lined drive. "So, does this pile have a pool table?"  
  


* * *

:_The Children_!: the Professor's voice ripped through the heads of the adults, mercifully sparing the students images of the younger children being held at gunpoint, and their teachers unconscious on the floor.  
  
Aetolus, Robyn, and Keahi followed Logan at a run as he raced through the corridors. They reached the classrooms and found Kurt and Ororo standing in the hall, heads clutched in their hands. As they approached, Ororo looked up, her eyes completely white.  
  
"We have to help them Logan," she said softly, tears welling up in her eyes. "They're so frightened."  
  
"So are they," Robyn pointed to the worried faces pressed against the glass in the classroom doors.  
  
"Someone must help them," Kurt said, pulling a rosary from his pocket and saying a prayer to St. Anthony.  
  
"And someone has to stay with these kids. Storm, you and Kurt stay here. I'll take Robs, Kea and Aet. We'll get them back," Wolverine growled.  
  
Kurt and Ororo agreed, and moved back to their classrooms to try and reassure their students. Logan lead his guests to the wood-paneled elevator, but Robyn laid a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Don't you think a black leather jumpsuit might be a bit conspicuous, even for downtown New York? C'mon, we'll take my car."  
  


* * *

"What kind of engine you got in this thing?" Logan asked from the passenger seat, impressed, as they cruised down the freeway at over 100mph.  
  
"There is no engine," Robyn smiled, maneuvering between a semi and an SUV, with less than an inch to spare  
  
"Yeah, it's truth in advertising," Aetolus said, leaning across from the back to point out the demon label affixed to the door next to Logan.  
  
"Then what's that?" Logan asked, pointing to the 'NOX Systems' sticker on the dashboard.  
  
"A girl needs to accessorize," Robyn said, peering into the rearview mirror. "Do we have time for a car chase right now?" she asked?  
  
"No," Logan growled.  
  
"Probably not," Keahi pouted.  
  
"Better not," Aetolus said, peering out the back window. They could hear the sirens now through the open windows, and Aetolus spotted the flashing lights approaching fast. Robyn waved her hand out the window, and the lights and sirens stopped abruptly. The car began to fall back, until they could see it pulled over on the verge.  
  
"What did you do?"  
  
"Disconnected the battery."  
  
"Here," Keahi handed Robyn an unlabeled cassette tape from the back. "We need some music."  
  
Robyn smiled, and slipped the cassette into the stereo.  
  
'We are what we're supposed to be. Illusions of your fantasy...'  
  


* * *

In front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Fifth Avenue was blocked off. Police cars and TV crews lined the street, and passersby tried to get their faces on camera. No one noticed four more rubberneckers making their way past the roadblock.  
  
"Looks like they have the place locked down pretty tight," Logan said, as they rounded the corner.  
  
"We'll have to try around back. Hopefully we can get around the cops out there without too much fuss," Robyn said, looking around. "Keahi, you go up. I'm sure you can keep them occupied long enough for us to get inside."  
  
Keahi disappeared a moment later, and the others continued down the alley as far as they could. They crouched behind a dumpster, out of the FBI sharpshooter's line of sight.  
  
"Now," Robyn said, dashing across the alley to the museum's rear door. "Aet, we can't afford to let anyone know we're here. Convince this thing it's locked," she pointed to the electronic keypad next to the door.  
  
"Gotcha," he held his palm just above the keypad, and closed his eyes.   
  
"Logan, be ready. When I open the door, you're first in. Clear the room. We clear?"  
  
"Crystal," Logan growled.  
  
"Robs. Got it," Aetolus informed them. Robyn crouched down next to the door, and motioned for Logan to get ready. He nodded, and the door swung inward.  
  
Logan leapt through the door. He could sense movement behind him, knew it was the others following him in. He heard the soft scuff of a shoe ahead, saw the muzzle of an AK-47 move into the light from the open door, and acted. A moment later he was easing the corpse to the floor, knowing they couldn't afford to give their presence away. Behind him he heard a soft click as the door closed and the light disappeared.  
  
"Clear," Logan said softly.  
  
Their eyes adjusted to the dim light quickly, and Robyn crept to the closed door.  
  
"Okay, Aetolus, we're going to have to make sure that this isn't going to have an audience. Make it look like the bad guys, whoever they are, disabled the cameras."  
  
"You got it Interpid One."  
  
"The rest of us are going to scout out the place. If you find one of these guys alone, take him out as quietly as you can and stash him. I don't want the guys in there with the kids to get too nervous. I'll find out where the kids are and make sure they're okay," she opened the door and checked the corridor, motioning them outside. "Good Luck," she whispered softly.  
  
The four split up, each one intent on their task.  
  


* * *

Wolverine stalked down the hallway. There was someone coming towards him, down the corridor. The scents of bluing and gunpowder warned Wolverine that he was packing. The gun wouldn't do him any damage, but he couldn't let this guy get off a shot. The kids might get hurt.  
  
He crouched behind a really ugly piece of sculpture, and sat in wait. He waited until the man, dressed in faded khakis, had passed by the sculpture before he struck. Scott and Jean wouldn't approve. Honestly, neither would the Professor, but Logan knew what men like these were capable of. It was over in a matter of seconds, and Logan shoved the body into the hollow wooden plinth the sculpture was standing on. No one would look for their friend there. It was too small for someone who was still capable of pain.  
  
Moving through the corridors, Wolverine could hear the children in the large gallery. He wanted to barge in there and tear apart everyone between him and the kids. A growl rumbled low in his chest. No, Robyn's plan was better. Whittle them down; divide and conquer.  
  
There were two sets of footsteps coming towards him now. Looking around for somewhere to conceal himself, Wolverine realized he was in an empty corridor. Something prompted him to look up, and he realized that the ceiling was made up of panels. Leaping up, he knocked one of the panels out of the way, and grabbed ahold of the low catwalk just above. Wolverine flipped himself silently up over the railing, and reached down to slide the panel back into place. He heard the two men, walking just below him, and leaned a little closer to hear what they were saying.  
  
"So how much longer are we gonna be in this place?"  
  
"What? You don't like it in here?"  
  
"This place gives me the creeps. Don't you feel like there's someone watching us? And those kids... they're the creepiest thing about this whole operation."  
  
"I gotta agree with you there. Did you see that little blonde girl with the teddy-bear? You think a kid that age would know enough to be scared."  
  
A sensation of movement further along the catwalk spun Wolverine around, his claws extending with a barely audible _snickt_. He found himself face to face with Keahi, who crouched next to him and held a finger to her lips. Leaning in close, she began to whisper a plan in his ear. By the time she was finished, Wolverine wore a smile of feral joy.  
  


* * *

Aetolus moved along the corridor, headed for the security office, his sword at the ready. It had been a while since one of Robyn's plans had involved stealth. But it wasn't often there were innocents to consider either.  
  
Finally arriving at the door marked 'SECURITY: AUTHORIZED PERSONEL ONLY,' he eased open the door silently. There was only one person inside, dressed in civilian clothes, and he was speaking angrily into a two-way radio.  
  
"Peters. Are you asleep again?"  
  
Aetolus moved silently into the room, letting the hum of the machinery hide the sounds of his entry. With a thought, he sent just enough energy surging through the panel to knock the man unconscious.  
  
"You're lucky," he said to the unconscious man. "You might live to regret this."  
  
Cueing up the security tapes, Aetolus tried to find out what the hostage-takers were after. He watched as the young man at his feet broke into the security office while the guard was on a break. Men in khakis took Scott and Jean by surprise, using some kind of dart gun to knock them out. Aetolus couldn't see how they'd disabled the Professor, but the children seemed to be looking after him now. Without sound, there was no way to tell what they were after.  
  
Something on the live feed caught his eye, and he watched as Keahi and Logan reached out of the ceiling, pulling the two soldiers below them through the roof, like a bizarre kind of trap-door spider.  
  
A few moments later, another soldier disappeared in a similar fashion just around the corner.  
  
"Back to work Override," he said to himself.  
  
"Yeah, yeah," Aetolus moved over to the huge banks of VCR's, taking up one wall of the room. A few simple instructions later, and the tapes were busily erasing themselves.  
  


* * *

Robyn made her way as close to the main gallery as she could before fading into the woodwork. A heartbeat later, when another soldier walked by, the hallway seemed empty.  
  
:_Where are all these guys coming from?_:  
  
:_I don't know_,: Keahi responded. :_Logan and I have taken out almost a dozen, and we're still finding more_.:  
  
:_Yeah, I'll see if I can figure out what's going on. I'll meet you guys in the security room with Aet once I'm done_,: Robyn moved unnoticed into the room in which the children were being held. When no one was looking, she took advantage of an empty spot on the gallery wall, to assume the shape of one of Picasso's less famous cubist works.  
  
There were armed guards stationed at each of the room's exits, like the one she'd passed on the way in. More soldiers were gathered around a mobile command post that had been erected in one corner.  
  
"Why haven't they reported in? That's over a dozen men unaccounted for," a man sitting at a table next to the command post slammed his fist down.   
  
"Yes sir," the man standing 'at ease' next to him responded. "Subsequent patrols have failed to discover any signs of them. And patrols of three or more men have remained untouched."  
  
"Then don't send out any more groups of less than three. And have them report back every five minutes. I want to know what's going on out there. I thought your team swept the building."   
  
"Yes, sir. They did sir. I'll have them go back over the entire building. Have the police accepted our demands yet?"  
  
"No Captain. They still maintain that the General is a criminal. How is the removal operation progressing?"  
  
"On schedule."  
  
"Good, at least something is. Now, find out what happened to your men."  
  
"Yes sir Colonel Meyers sir," the man with Captain's bars moved away from his superior, and headed out the door.  
  
Checking once more to be sure the children were okay, Robyn began to make her way back out of the room.  
  


* * *

Rosie watched the Bad Men. She knew they were Bad Men because they had hurt Mr. Summers, and Ms. Gray.  
  
Some of the other kids were scared, but Rosie wasn't. She knew that Mr. Logan Sir wouldn't let the Bad Men hurt them.   
  
Mr. Logan Sir had saved her from her mean ol' uncle, after her Papa died. He'd promised her then that he'd never let anyone hurt her again, and Miss. Rogue said that Mr. Logan Sir never, ever, ever, ever broke his promises.  
  
Now the Colonel of the Bad Men said that some of his soldiers were missing. Rosie was sure now, it had to mean that Mr. Logan Sir was already here.  
  
Rosie had an idea. She knew the Bad Men wouldn't let her go find Mr. Logan Sir, but they didn't know about Private Bear. Using the crayon she always kept in her pocket, Rosie wrote a note for Mr. Logan Sir, and then convinced one of the Bad Men to take her to the bathroom. He never noticed that when she came out, she didn't have Private Bear with her.  
  


* * *

Robyn let herself into the security office, making sure that none of the soldiers had seen her enter. Logan and Keahi had already arrived, and were giving Aetolus the intel they'd collected.  
  
They were watching several of the unidentified soldiers carry priceless works of art away through a hole in the storage room floor.  
  
"So that's where they're all coming from," Robyn exclaimed. "And that must be what he meant but the 'removal operation,'" Robyn quickly described what she had seen and heard in the main gallery. Just as she was finishing her tale, the four of them heard a soft scratching sound coming from the door.  
  
Wolverine crouched low in front of the door, and Keahi covered him with a stolen AK-47. Robyn used her TK to open the door, making it swing open quickly. Something small and black launched itself through the door, and into Wolverine's arms.  
  
"It's Private Bear," Wolverine exclaimed, surprised.  
  
"Private Bear?" Keahi asked with a laugh.  
  
"Rosie, one of the kids, can make things come alive," he replied. "This is her toy, Private Bear. Her dad gave it to her before he left."  
  
"What's this?" Robyn asked, leaning down and picking up a scrap of paper off of the floor. She scrutinized it for a moment, before shaking her head in defeat. "Here," she handed it to Wolverine.   
  
Drawn on the paper, in vivid purple crayon, was a knife whose blade surrounded by flames. Around that was a circle, and underneath was written 'fear not the flame.'"  
  
"This is interesting, but what is it?" Keahi asked, looking over Wolverine's shoulder. Wolverine shook his head, shrugged, and set the bear and the paper down on the desk. Private Bear pawed at the paper until it flipped over, then saluted, and became nothing more than a toy once more.  
  
"It says 'Dear Mr. Logan Sir. One of the Bad Men has this drawed on him. XOXO, Rosie.'"  
  
"Does that mean... like a tattoo?" Robyn mused. "Aetolus, can you check this out? They talked about a Colonel in jail. Maybe try to match this against the police database."  
  
"Sure thing. Uh oh," he pointed to one of the monitors, where almost a dozen soldiers were advancing through the hallways. They were obviously searching for their missing men. "Do we stay, or go?"  
  
"Well I for one am getting sick and tired of all this creeping around bullshit," Wolverine growled, popping his knuckles.  
  
"Hmm... I don't think we should let them know we're using this place as our base. Let them report the all clear here, and we'll ambush them further along. How's that sound?" Robyn asked.  
  
"It has potential."  
  
"But, the first one to let them get off a shot buys dinner. Deal?"  
  
"Deal," Aetolus grinned.  
  
"Is the beer included?" Logan asked.  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Then I'm in."  
  
"Me too," Keahi laughed.  
  


* * *

"All clear Captain," the only evidence that their unknown enemy had been here, was that the man assigned to this station was missing.  
  
"Do we even know if they're still alive?" the Captain demanded,  
  
"No sir. There's no sign of a struggle anywhere, sir."  
  
The Captain scowled, unable to imagine a situation in which his men wouldn't fight back. "Check the security tapes, see if our ghosts left anything behind," the squad's technician hastened to obey.  
  
"They're all blank sir," he said after inspecting the video recorders.  
  
"Michaels must have finished before he was disabled. There's nothing else of interest here..."   
  
"Sir, something's setting off the motion sensors down there," the young technician pointed to one of the monitors, showing an empty gallery.  
  
"Have they set the tapes to play back?" the Captain asked.  
  
"No sir, the tapes are all blank. These," he gestured to the screens. "Are all live. If there's anyone there, we should be able to see them."  
  
"I don't like this. Could this be some of those mutants we've been getting reports of?"  
  
"I don't see how sir. They'd have to be invisible, and that's impossible, even for a mutant."  
  
"Well impossible or not, we have an entire squad MIA, and we've seen neither hide nor hair of whoever did it."  
  


* * *

The squad moved down the hall, on the lookout for whoever had taken out their buddies. They were jumpy, and every sound drove them one step closer to the breaking point. They were all soldiers, and had been in situations that would make most men scream for their mommies, but somehow this was worse.  
  
They reached the small gallery, and the Captain sent two men ahead to scout the room. After checking behind every statue and display, they gave the all clear signal. The rest of the squad followed, and spread out through the room. The Captain ordered the scouts to check ahead to the next gallery, and then report back.  
  
The instant the scouts were out of earshot, all hell broke loose. Wolverine dropped down out of the ceiling, his hands flashing out as he passed between the Captain and one of his men. Landing in a crouch between them, Wolverine listened to their hearts as they stopped beating, before turning to his next target. He found himself looking down the barrel of a modified MP-5. Growling low in his throat, Wolverine rose out of his crouch, and with one blindingly fast move, sliced through the blued steel with one set of claws, and buried the others knuckle deep in the soldier's chest.  
  
"The Brotherhood will prevail," he whispered, a drop of blood welling from between his lips.  
  
"Not today Bub," Wolverine replied, retracting his claws and letting the corpse drop to the floor. He scanned the room and discovered that his companions had already dispatched the rest of their opponents.  
  
They could hear the scouts returning now, and they didn't have time to pull the bodies up into their hiding place in the roof. Robyn gestured for them to head up without her. A moment later, the bodies were floating in the air behind her as she disappeared.  
  
Wolverine pulled his feet through the opening just as the scouting party returned. They stared in shock at the evidence of a slaughter all around them. There was blood puddling on the linoleum, and spattered on several of the statues. One of the scouts was disturbed to discover that on one wall, the fine blood spray had formed a huge smiley-face.  
  
"Where are they?"  
  
"They're all dead, isn't it obvious?"  
  
"But why did they take the bodies?"  
  
"Psychological warfare maybe. We've gotta get back to the Colonel and let him know what happened here."  
  


* * *

Back in the security office, Aetolus poured the last of the absent guard's coffee into his cup.  
  
"Shouldn't we save some for Robyn?" Wolverine wondered.  
  
"That would be a tragic waste of a pretty good cup of coffee," Keahi said with a chuckle. "Robyn doesn't drink coffee."  
  
"I have never understood how anything that smells so divine, can taste so awful," Robyn said, stepping out of nowhere and making a face.  
  
"So, did you take those bodies up to the rest?" Aetolus asked.  
  
"Actually.... no. I can't travel that way without going through my place..."  
  
"Oh," Keahi exclaimed. "Your plants?"  
  
"Yeah. They were pretty excited. It's been a while since I fed them. Anyway, what do we know?" she asked, turning to Aetolus.  
  
"They're the Brotherhood of the Vengeful Flame; a militant sect of Heaven's Gate. They've sorta got a Viking/Klingon thing going. Only those who die in battle can get into heaven, but they've been 'instructed' to save the world by purging it with holy flame, to insure it's readiness when the comet passes by again. Or something."  
  
"Well we need to get those kids out of here before they decide to 'save' them."  
  
"We need a plan," Robyn said, sitting down and staring blankly at the wall. "Some way that takes all their attention off of the children," she muttered softly.  
  
"I could cast a shielding spell over them," Keahi volunteered.  
  
"Yeah, I thought about that... but they could still see through it. They don't really need to see what we're doing."  
  
"Oh, right."  
  
"And if we let the police come in and finish it off, there's still a chance these dorks might take out some of the kids."  
  
"What if I shut down all the lights, and someone lead the kids out, while the rest of us kept them occupied?" Aetolus asked.  
  
"That's a good plan," Robyn said. "In fact, it's an awesome plan... that needs only one adjustment."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"Well, in order to make this work, we're going to have to hit the command center, and the removal team at once."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"There's only four of us. Not that that isn't enough to finish the job," she said with a feral grin. "But if one of us is with the kids, that leaves the rest of us stretched too thin. Keahi?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"Do you know any sleeping spells?"  
  
"Sure. Come in pretty handy in my line of work."  
  
"Can you cast it on all of the kids?"  
  
"Yeah, easy as poi."  
  


* * *

The Commander of the Brotherhood of the Vengeful Flame was getting concerned. Fully half of his men were missing, with no sign of what had occurred. Except for the scouting party that had returned moments ago, with disturbing news.  
  
Whoever it was that was doing this was able to take out a dozen well armed men, in seconds. Reluctant to sacrifice any more of his men, Colonel Meyers decided to cut his losses. The building and the children would be cleansed in holy fire, and he and his men would retreat through the tunnel, collapsing it behind them.  
  
Without warning, the museum was plunged into darkness. When the emergency lighting didn't kick in immediately, the Colonel realized that his unknown enemy was about to strike again. The monitor on his portable command center flickered and died, as did the independent generator powering it.  
  
"Get out the IR goggles, and secure the prisoners," he shouted, taking his own night vision goggles from the clip on his belt.  
  
"Too late, eh?" a voice whispered in his ear.  
  


* * *

Colonel Meyers staggered out of the museum, hands on his head. He whimpered softly at the sight of dozens of police officers, their weapons trained on him, and dropped to his knees.  
  
The SWAT team stormed through the doors, ignoring the alarms Meyers had set off as he left. They found the children, frightened but unharmed, in one of the smaller galleries. Their teachers, now conscious, but suffering from mild concussions, were checked out by the paramedics and allowed to go home.  
  
When the officers descended into the tunnel the Brotherhood had dug beneath the museum, they discovered what had so disturbed the hardened SWAT officers. All of the soldiers had been piled up in the tunnel, and were slowly burning in a huge, crackling fire.  
  


* * *

Professor Xavier thanked the officer who had driven the bus home for them, at the paramedic's insistence, and his partner by supplying them with a thermos of coffee, and a selection of baked goods for their return trip to Manhattan.  
  
The children waved at the departing police car, and Xavier was grateful that they would have one positive experience with New York's finest at least. Those would be few and far between for most of them. But that was why they were fighting, for the children.  
  
Sending Scott and Jean upstairs to settle the children, Xavier opened his mind. Gingerly, trying to avoid aggravating his concussion induced headache, he sought out Logan and his friends. His wheelchair negotiated the level path through the woods easily, and he eventually found them in a grassy meadow next to the small stream that ran through the grounds.  
  
"Heya Chuck," Logan said, laying a card down on the stump they were using as a table. They stared intently at the cards in their hand, and laid them down all at once.  
  
"Damn, tied again," Robyn sighed. "I guess no one's supposed to win."  
  
"So, Professor X, what's on your mind?" Aetolus asked, deftly shuffling the cards.  
  
"The police feel that the Brotherhood was following some kind of celestial timetable, like the original Heaven's Gate group, and that they took the children hostage to give themselves time to complete their rituals."  
  
"Of course. I'm sure they'll decide the timing coincides with the Damocles meteor. It's passing through the solar system now."  
  
"A reasonable assumption I suppose. What I'd like to know, is why the bodies were burned?"  
  
"The Colonel asked to be allowed to minister to his men. He killed all of the men we hadn't, they just stood there and took it... And then he burned the bodies."  
  
"Why kill his own men?" the Professor wondered.  
  
"Apparently they'd lost the favour of heaven," Robyn replied. When the professor gave her a disgusted look, she held up her hands. "Hey, don't look at me. I've never understood how you humans think," she pointed to Keahi who was juggling swords. "Her, I understand. Mostly."  
  
"Everyone okay?" Logan asked gruffly, pulling a battered Reas cigar out of his shirt pocket.  
  
"They'll be fine. Although Scott will be nursing a headache for a few days."  
  
"Poor baby," Robyn pulled something out of her pocket, and sent it floating towards Logan. He plucked it out of the air, and discovered that it was a little glass ball with a free floating flame inside. He turned to Robyn with a questioning look.  
  
"Just bring it close to your cigar," she said. "Keahi's got her hands full, or she'd light it for you I'm sure," Keahi flashed a grin as she continued to juggle.  
  
"You bet."  
  
"Along with your eyebrows."  
  
"Again."  
  
Shaking his head, Logan gingerly brought the little globe up to his cigar. Just before he brought it in contact with the glass, the flame inside jumped out. It flickered for a moment at the end of his cigar, and he puffed gently until the cigar was glowing softly on its own. The little flame zipped back into its globe, and Logan tossed it back to Robyn.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"No worries. Just don't be smoking those things in front of the kids," he gave her a look that could have peeled paint, and she laughed brightly. "A good role model, you are _not_ Wolvie."  
  
"You might want to update your security system. Especially for the lower levels," Aetolus said as they walked back to the mansion.  
  
"What makes you say that?" the Professor asked.  
  
"While I was using the comp in the library someone got in through a backdoor in the system. They were checking out your student profiles, security updates, that kinda thing.  
  
"He's been through your files before too. This guy's left fingerprints everywhere."  
  
"And what were _you_ doing in our files?" Scott asked, as they approached the mansion.  
  
"Checking to see what firewall program you're running."  
  
"Obviously it's not a very good one, if you can break through it," Scott grumbled.  
  
"Actually, that doesn't really mean much. But Robyn could hack into your system."  
  
"Ouch," Robyn said. "And my hacking skills can only be described as 'lame.'"  
  
"But you said this intruder was getting in through a backdoor? One that was already there?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Erik," the professor sighed.  
  
"How do we know you didn't let him in?" Scott turned accusingly to Aetolus.  
  
"Besides the part where _I_ told you you had a security breach?"  
  
Robyn said something in what sounded like Japanese. Keahi and Aetolus chuckled and nodded their heads, and Logan snickered.  
  
"I didn't know you spoke Japanese Logan," the professor said softly.  
  
"Neither did I," Logan shrugged.  
  
They entered the professor's office and everyone sat down. Except Scott.  
  
"What was that you said?" he asked Robyn.  
  
"I basically said that if you got any more uptight, you'd implode. I don't know what it is, but you really rub me the wrong way."  
  
"And what? Logan rubs you the right way?"  
  
There was a pause, and then a choking sound as Logan tried to cough his cigar back up.  
  
Robyn grinned evilly.  
  
"Are you _really_ sure you want to know?" she purred, peering up at him through her eyelashes.  
  
"Scott," the Professor said. "These people just saved our lives, and the lives of our students. That should be more than enough to prove their intentions."  
  
"So Logan," Keahi said, changing the subject. "You wanna go finish that game of pool?" she stood and, ignoring Scott, went to stand behind the Professor. She rubbed her hands briefly together, and went to lay them on his head.  
  
Scott moved to stop her, only to discover that his boot laces had been tied together. He stumbled, and landed sprawled in a high-backed chair. When he finally regained his feet, he turned to the Professor.  
  
"Professor, are you all right?"  
  
"I'm fine Scott. Thank-you Keahi."  
  
"No problem," she shrugged, heading for the door. "Concussions can be tricky. Especially for TP's."  
  
Scott followed them out into the hall, and Robyn turned to face him.  
  
"You really like order don't you?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Everything has to have a purpose and a place. You plan _everything_ in advance. I bet you iron your t-shirts."  
  
"So?"  
  
"So that's why you don't like us."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Because Chaos follows us like a lost puppy."

* * *

INTERMISSION

  
  
Scott jogged down the driveway leading to the quiet country road that fronted the estate. He enjoyed the simple pleasure of it. There were no decisions to be made, no students, and no one to question his orders. As he was headed back towards the mansion, Scott realized that something was pacing him through the trees, a dark shadow among the sun-dappled woods.   
  
_I should have worn my visor today,_ the though flashed through his mind as the creature shot out of the forest. The dark shape revealed itself as a charcoal coloured wolf with shocking green eyes. There was no time for Scott to get off a shot before it reached him.  
  


  
  
Scott limped across the lawn, and into the kitchen, where Logan and Jean turned to look at him.  
  
"Oh Scott," Jean rushed over to him. "Are you okay? What happened?"  
  
"I'll be fine," he said.  
  
"But what happened?" she asked again.  
  
Scott leaned close, and whispered in Jean's ear. Her eyes opened wide.  
  
"But why?"  
  
Logan smirked, unnoticed, into his coffee. Couldn't have happened to a more deserving guy... although in his experience wolves weren't commonly known for chasing down lone joggers and giving them wedgies.   
  
The week was getting better by the minute.  
  


  
  
Kurt looked around, confused. He'd been trying to materialize in his classroom, but instead he was sitting on one of the benches outside in the yard.  
  
"Hello," Kurt turned to the person who had spoken. Sitting next to him on the bench was an attractive, red-headed woman. Looking up from her laptop, she smiled brightly.  
  
"H-hello," he replied, a bit shaken.  
  
"My name is Fritters," she held out her hand. Standing, he took it gently in his own, and brushed his lips across her knuckles.  
  
"It is a pleasure to meet you," he bowed deeply over her hand. "I am Kurt Wagner. It pains me deeply to say, but I fear I must leave you dear lady."  
  
Fritters pouted, and held his hand tighter. Setting her computer aside, she stood and leaned in close to Kurt.  
  
"I'll be waiting."  
  
Kurt took a few steps back and bowed, tapping his heels together.  
  
"I await our next meeting with eager anticipation Fraulein," with a _bamph_ he was gone. He reappeared a heartbeat later, a few feet away, once again confused.  
  
"Back so soon?" Fritters asked sweetly.  
  
"Your beauty draws me, as a moth to a flame. I forget all else in my longing to gaze upon you."  
  
"Hon, you are such a sweet-talker," Fritters reached out and grabbed him by the tail. Pulling him close, she kissed him deeply. "Let's get outta here..."

* * *

"Charles suspects nothing. How fortuitous for us the incident occurred when it did," the man known as Magneto surveyed his little army. The Brotherhood of Mutants might be small in number, but none of them were to be trifled with. Even their newest member, young Pyro, showed great promise.  
  
"When are we going to do this? I'm getting sick of just sitting around this dump."  
  
He needed to work on his patience however.  
  
"Mystique my dear," Magneto held out his hand to his most versatile of compatriots. "Shall we indulge our young friend, and set our plan in motion?"  
  
The cerulean temptress took Magneto's hand, and stared thoughtfully at him for a moment.  
  
"Now seems as good a time as any I suppose," she shrugged. "Do you think he's ready?"  
  
"I'm ready," Pyro leapt to his feet, a fireball flickering in his hand.  
  
"Are you?" Magneto asked. "Do you think you can fight against your school friends?"  
  
"They aren't my friends," Pyro scowled.  
  
"You may disagree with their methods, but you will find it matters little in friendship."  
  
"Whatever," Pyro rolled his eyes. "I'm ready."  
  
"We shall see."  
  


* * *

"Robyn?" someone whispered as the door opened a crack. "Keahi?"  
  
"There's no point in whispering," Aetolus said. Rogue spun away from the open door, turning to face him. "They were awake before you touched the doorknob."  
  
"Occupational hazard," came a voice from somewhere in the darkened room.  
  
"The Professor asked me to come find y'all. I didn't think you'd still be sleeping."  
  
"Yeah, we old people need our sleep," the voice from the room said. Aetolus leaned past Rogue, and flipped on the lights. Both of the dormitory-style beds were empty, and it took Rogue a moment to find their occupants.  
  
A whisper of sound drew her attention to the wardrobe next to the door. Crouched in the narrow space between the top of the cabinet and the ceiling was Keahi, a sword in one hand and a handful of shuriken in the other.  
  
"Hi," Keahi waved. Rogue waved back a little bit hesitantly. "Robyn, can I climb down?" she asked, as she peered over the edge of her perch.  
  
"Sure," came the muffled reply. "Just don't land on the rug," Rogue looked down at the ragged rug by her feet. Keahi dropped to the floor, and by the time her attention switched back, the rug was gone and Robyn was sitting cross legged on the floor, brushing her hair.   
  
"So what was it the Professor wanted to see us about?" Keahi asked as they followed Rogue down the stairs.  
  
"I don't know," she said, adjusting the zipper on her navy-blue flight suit. "But this is when we usually have our training sessions downstairs."  
  
"Cool," Robyn said. At the bottom of the stairs, she paused, and looked around vaguely. Peering around the foyer, she obviously found what she was looking for. She moved towards one of the potted rubber plants sitting near the doors. After a moment, she began to talk to the plant in a strange language that was unlike anything Rogue had ever heard before. She turned to Aetolus and Keahi with a confused look.  
  
"Well," Keahi sighed. "At least she isn't talking to the wallpaper this time."  
  
"No," Aetolus replied. "She can spend hours talking with wallpaper. She says that plants aren't really very good conversationalists."  
  
Robyn spoke a moment longer, and nodded as though receiving an answer. She turned back to the others, and walked up to them smiling. She, Aetolus and Keahi all turned to Rogue, waiting for her to lead them on. Opening her mouth to say something, Rogue thought better of it. She lead the three guests into the hidden elevator, and down into the lower levels of the mansion.  
  
The elevator opened into a long hallway, paneled in stainless steel. Rogue lead them to the huge steel door at the end of the corridor. Removing her glove, she held her hand over a recessed panel next to the door. After a moment it beeped, and the door opened with a soft hiss that told the newcomers the room was airtight.  
  
Following Rogue through the doorway, they found themselves in a room that was at least four stories high.  
  
Inside, several of the older students stood, wearing jumpsuits similar to Rogue's. The Professor rolled up, followed by Cyclops and Wolverine in their leather clothes.  
  
Robyn and Keahi smiled, but said nothing.  
  
"Good Morning," the Professor said. "I'm sorry we woke you."  
  
"It's okay," Aetolus said with a shrug.  
  
"I was wondering if you would be willing to train with our older students? They rarely have a chance to encounter new techniques when the situation isn't dire."  
  
"Sure, why not?" Robyn said with a grin.  
  
"Then I'll introduce you," Charles moved down the line, introducing the students. "You know Rogue of course. She has the ability to..." Robyn interrupted him.  
  
"Let's leave them some advantage here Charles."  
  
"If you like," he proceeded to the next student. "Bobby is also known as the Iceman."  
  
"I'll assume that doesn't refer to your personality," Robyn said with a chuckle. They moved to stand in front of the next student, a young Asian girl. She had a pair of sunglasses perched on her head, and when the professor held out his hand, she grudgingly handed them over.  
  
"But Professor."  
  
The next student in line was a young man who was well on his way to being the next Schwartzenegger. The upper half of his jumpsuit was tied around his waist, leaving his chest bare.  
  
"Suddenly," Robyn said brightly. "I feel terribly underdressed."  
  
"This is Piotr."  
  
"Colossus," the young man held out his hand. Robyn shook politely, grimacing slightly as his grip tightened.  
  
"I'll say," Robyn said, peering up at him from her petite 5'3"  
  
"And last, but not least, is Kitty aka Shadowcat."  
  
"Well, I guess we've all been introduced. Do you have any questions before we get the party started?" Robyn looked at the assembled students, then turned to Charles.  
  
"No," Charles said. "Logan, Scott and I will be in the observation room," the Mutants in question followed the Professor as he directed his chair out the door. A moment later the three of them appeared in a window about halfway up the wall. "Begin," the Professor's voice echoed through the room, as it was somehow transformed into a jungle setting.  
  
"Keen," Robyn said. "A forest in a box."  
  
Aetolus, Robyn and Keahi turned to their young opponents, bowed, and disappeared.  
  
"I guess they decided to put us on the offensive," Bobby said, 'suiting' up. A protective sheet of ice surrounded his body, giving him an almost mannequin-like appearance. Colossus followed suit, organic steel plating covering his body.  
  
"Piotr, you take point," Rogue said, as it was her turn to play team leader. "Bobby sorry, Iceman, you take the rear. Jubilee and Kitty, you're with me."  
  


* * *

"Do you think they'll use the same guerilla tactics you saw at the museum?" Scott asked as they watched from the observation room.  
  
"No," Logan replied. There was a pause while Scott waited for him to elaborate.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Have you ever heard of Calvinball?"   
  


* * *

"Did Wolverine tell you anything about what their powers are?" Shadowcat asked Rogue as they moved through the simulated jungle.  
  
"No," Rogue said, keeping her eyes on the path ahead of them. "But I think Robyn can change her shape. When I went to their room this morning, I think she turned into a rug."  
  
"A rug?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Weird," Jubilee shook her head.  
  
"Not quite as weird as when she started talking to one of the plants in the front hall," Rogue looked around, and realized that she hadn't heard from the boys in a while. "Iceman, Colossus, report," she said, activating the communications link built into her jumpsuit.  
  
There was a garbled squawk, and a puff of smoke as the communicator's internal circuit's fused.  
  
"Jubilee, send up a flare. They've taken out our communications, and it's time to regroup."  
  
"Sure thing boss," Jubilee said, raising her hands to the sky. After a moment, she paused. "But won't that tell the other guys where we are?"  
  
"Assuming they don't already know?"  
  
"Oh, yeah."  
  
There was a flicker, as though the sun had gone behind a cloud, and Kitty looked around.  
  
"Whoa, deja vu," she said.  
  
"What?" Jubilee asked, suddenly suspicious.  
  
"It's just that I'm sure I saw that butterfly go by twice."  
  
"Uh oh," Jubilee said as she sent a shower of multicoloured sparks cascading high above the trees.  
  
"What do you mean 'uh oh'?" Rogue asked.  
  
"Don't you remember, in The Matrix, when Neo has deja vu it means they've changed something."  
  
"So? We're not in The Matrix Jubilee. This is real life."  
  
"But we _are_ inside a computer generated simulation."  
  
"Oh..." at that moment, Iceman and Colossus returned, drawn in by Jubilee's flare. Rogue quickly filled them in on why she'd called them back, as well as Jubilee's suspicions.  
  
"Well maybe they just don't want to take us on. They didn't look very tough to me," Iceman said.  
  
"Appearances can be deceiving," Colossus replied. "There is a clearing ahead. I think perhaps I saw movement there as I approached."  
  
"Well, I guess it's as good a place as any to go," Rogue sighed.  
  
They moved as silently as they could through the dense jungle. Once, Rogue had Bobby cut them a path through the undergrowth by freezing and shattering it.  
  
When they arrived at the clearing, they saw two people standing in the middle, waiting.  
  
Slowly, cautiously, on the alert for any trick, Xavier's students moved forward to face their opponents.  
  
"Where's your friend?" Iceman taunted them. "She run away?"  
  
"I know where my friends are," Keahi said with a cheerful grin.  
  
"Can you say the same?" Aetolus asked the youths. The five of them turned, and started to look at each other suspiciously, trying to pick out the imposter.  
  
Rogue stopped, and tried to think back. Which of them was it? Colossus smiled.  
  
"Oops. Logic. Time for me to go," the person they had thought was their friend Colossus disappeared, and Robyn was standing in their midst. "Dos Vidanya," she said. She grinned, waved, and took off running, her laughter trailing behind her.  
  
Jubilee and Iceman each took a shot at her retreating back. Kitty ran after her, demanding to know what had happened to Colossus, and soon all of the combatants were crashing into each other.  
  
The teachers, up in the observation room, couldn't tell who was winning. The battle, more of a melee, was taking place in such close quarters, that it was impossible to sort out who was who.  
  
There was a scream, and a shout, and the jungle scene started to flicker. Robyn pushed a phased, Shadowcat out of her way, and rushed to where Aetolus and Rogue were locked together. She saw that Rogue had pulled one of her gloves off, and had taken hold of Aetolus' hand. Grabbing the back of Rogue's jumpsuit Robyn yanked the two of them apart, being very careful not to touch Rogue's bare skin.  
  
"Your Highness, are you alright?" she asked, checking Aetolus' pulse. "Keahi, please glove up and check the girl," she said, then turned to Kitty. "Is it just touching her skin that does this? And what _exactly_ does it do?"  
  
"Where's Colossus?"  
  
"He's locked in the broom closet down the hall," Kitty turned to go, and Robyn grabbed her by the arm. "Tell me what happened here," Kitty tried to pull away again, and looked confused.  
  
"Wha-? She... she absorbs people's powers and memories through their skin. It's pretty harsh if she can't control it," Robyn let go of Kitty, allowing her to run through the wall, to try and find Piotr.  
  
"I'm okay Robyn," Aetolus said. "But I have one Hades of a headache."  
  
"Robyn," Keahi said. "I'm picking up some weird vibes here," Robyn turned to where Rogue lay on the steel floor.  
  
"Robyn?" kneeling down next to Rogue, Robyn helped her to sit up.  
  
"Here, let me help you up," Robyn reached out, offering her arm to Rogue. Reaching out with her bare hand, Rogue went to grasp Robyn's arm, where her long-sleeved shirt reached down to her wrist. She paused, and then switched, grabbing Robyn's hand with her still gloved hand.  
  
"Why'd you do that?" Robyn asked as she pulled Rogue to her feet.  
  
"Do what?" Rogue asked, looking down at her gloved hand. She backed away a step as Robyn moved closer.  
  
"What're you..." Iceman reached out trying to grab Robyn. Keahi held him back.  
  
"What is it Robyn?"  
  
Robyn grabbed Rogue by the front of her jumpsuit, and pulled her close, searching her face for something.  
  
"You thieving son of an inbred jerk," Robyn exclaimed with a shake of her head.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Iceman yelled, trying to break away from Keahi's grasp.  
  
"You get the hell out of there right now, before you completely screw with that poor girl's brain."  
  
"I don't know what you mean Glitch," Rogue said, looking at her with confusion.  
  
"You're really loosing your touch man. Rogue doesn't even know my last name, let alone that everyone used to call me Glitch."  
  
"Yeah, well... I don't get out much anymore y'know. What gave me away? I know I managed to hide my aura."  
  
"What's going on here?" the Professor asked as he rolled up, followed closely by Cyclops and a worried Wolverine.  
  
"Rogue, are you okay?" Wolverine asked gruffly.  
  
"She's fine," Rogue said, turning to him with a reassuring smile.  
  
"Let her speak for herself Override," Robyn said scoldingly.  
  
"What? Oh, right," Rogue shook her head a few times. "I'm all right, really Wolverine."  
  
"Could you tell me what's going on Rogue? It's almost as though there's a second, completely independent personality inhabiting your psyche."  
  
"There is," Rogue replied. "He's Aetolus' Uncle, or cousin or something. They share a body," her voice deepened and her body language changed slightly. "Well, _share_ is a bit strong. He only lets me use it occasionally."  
  
"Yes," Aetolus responded. "And occasionally I get arrested for grand larceny; not to mention practicing medicine without a license."  
  
"What a couple of goofballs," Keahi said with a chuckle.  
  
"Yeah. You'd think they couldn't stand each other."  
  
"Hey, you'd go a little stir crazy too. C'mon. Please? Just five minutes? Rogue doesn't mind," Robyn turned to Aetolus, who shrugged.  
  
"There really isn't much trouble he can get into here in five minutes."  
  
"Wanna bet?" Robyn said with a grin.  
  
Rogue smiled, her eyes sparkling. She began to walk around the danger room, then to run. She pulled on her glove, and went up to Robyn. "Robyn? Please?"  
  
"Fine, but you know I suck at this," Robyn took a small flute out of the pouch on her belt, and began to play a simple tune. Walking up to Bobby, Rogue held out her hand.  
  
"What?" Bobby was bewildered.  
  
"Dance with her," Aetolus said with a laugh. The pair danced for a few minutes, and then Rogue slowed to a stop.  
  
"Time's almost up," she said.  
  
"What do you mean?" Bobby asked.  
  
Rogue said nothing, but leaned in close. She closed her eyes, and brushed her lips against his.  
  
"Rogue," Cyclops moved forward to stop her, only to find Robyn standing in his way. "She can't."  
  
"She can. Override never makes a one sided deal."  
  
"But how?"  
  
"You couldn't possibly understand."  
  
She turned, still blocking Cyclops' path, and watched the two teens with smile. She chuckled as Bobby's eyes jerked open, but he didn't break off the kiss.  
  
"He is soooo predictable sometimes," Robyn said. "Time's up kiddies."  
  
"But Robyn," Rogue pouted.  
  
"You said five minutes, I gave you seven," Robyn replied.  
  
"Fine."  
  
"Hand it over," holding out her hand, Robyn took a step towards Rogue and Bobbie.  
  
"Hand what over?" Rogue said, projecting wounded innocence.  
  
"I have no idea. But hand it over."  
  
"Do I have to?"  
  
"Do you want to get Rogue in trouble? She did let you borrow her body."  
  
"Good point," reaching inside one of the cargo pockets in her jumpsuit, Rogue pulled out a wad of white fabric and handed it to Robyn.  
  
Robyn shielded it from the rest of the room as she examined it.  
  
"Why am I not surprised?" she said to herself. Walking over to Cyclops, she held out the bunched up item. He took it from her, and let it fall open. It was a pair of men's briefs. "You even write your name in your underwear."  
  
"But...?"  
  
"Don't even try to understand it. Your brain might explode," Keahi said.  
  
"So, before I go back," Rogue said, turning back to Robyn. "How did you figure it out?"  
  
"Rogue was reaching for my sleeve with her bare hand. Then you switched, so she grabbed me with the gloved one."  
  
"Of course, that would never have occurred to her."  
  
"What are they talking about?" Wolverine asked Keahi.  
  
"Robyn's a shapeshifter. Think about it for a minute," she replied.  
  
Just then, a red light high on the wall began to flash, casting a red glow over the room's occupants.  
  
"What does that mean?" Aetolus asked.  
  
"It means that the Brotherhood of Mutants is on the move."  
  


* * *

**Ft. Harrington Army Base.**  
  
"Everything seems to be in order sir," the Private on gate duty examined the orders the General's aid had handed him. "To get to that facility you go along this road, and take the second left. You can't miss it," he handed the sheaf of papers back to the pretty Sergeant driving the Humvee.  
  
"Thank you Private," she said as he raised the barrier to allow them through.  
  
The soldier watched the loaded humvee as it drove away. He wondered idly what was in the crates stowed in the rear cargo area, then went back to guarding the gate.  
  


* * *

The X-jet rose out of the basketball court accompanied by a rumbling growl from its VTOL engines. At the controls, Cyclops wondered if it was such a good idea to bring everyone along.  
  
Jean had stayed behind with the Professor, and no one had seen Kurt since early that morning. Xavier assured them that he was fine, but wouldn't tell them anything more. Aetolus, Robyn and Keahi were sitting in the rear compartment with a still possessed Rogue. After a short, private, discussion with the Xavier he agreed that perhaps her temporary guest might be useful on the mission.  
  
"Do you know why the Professor is letting her come along?" Cyclops asked Wolverine.  
  
"Nope. But I think I'm starting to understand."  
  
"Really? Then you're more screwed up than I thought."  
  
"Now boys, be nice," Robyn called from the rear compartment.  
  
"You can hear us over the engines?" Cyclops wondered aloud.  
  
"Of course not," she laughed.  
  
Aetolus leaned into the cockpit, and flashed a grin.  
  
"So what's the plan?" he asked, looking to Cyclops. "The Professor says you're in charge," there was a burst of muffled laughter from the rear compartment.  
  
"The plan is to get in, stop Magneto, and get out."  
  
"Sounds complicated," Aetolus said. "Could we suggest something...?"  
  


* * *

Down at the loading dock, the two guards assigned to guard the warehouse were helping the lonely young Sergeant to unload her humvee.  
  
The huge crate was hoisted out of the truck, and dropped to the ground. One of the soldiers leaned down, pressing his ear to its side.  
  
"I thought I heard something."  
  
"You're just imagining it," his friend said. "Did you want us to open this?" he asked the Sergeant.  
  
"Yes, please," she said with a frosty smile.  
  
Picking up a crowbar that lay nearby, the two men pried open the lid of the crate, and looked curiously at what was inside. There was a roaring growl, and something burst out of the shadowy interior.  
  


* * *

"Just about through," Pyro announced, staring intently at the locked door in front of him. "Why didn't you just pop this one like you did the others?"  
  
"Because all of the other locks were magnetic."  
  
"Right," there was a puff of smoke from the lock, and the door swung open. Ignoring the sign on the door declaring it absolutely off limits to all unauthorized personel, Magneto and Pyro stepped into the room. Inside, hundreds of tiny compartments had been built into the walls. Each box was home to some strange artifact or vial.  
  
Stalking along the rows, Magneto pulled a slip of paper out of the inner pocket of his 'borrowed' General's uniform. Pyro followed close behind, gazing wonderingly at some of the bizarre objects held within the cases.  
  
Five jars with animal-head stoppers, one of them broken, sat forlornly in one cabinet. In the next, an old compass pointed resolutely southwest, not even flickering as Magneto walked past.  
  
Finally they seemed to be nearing whatever it was that Magneto was looking for. He began to compare the numbers in his hand, to the numbers printed on the glass boxes.  
  
"Here it is," reaching up to one of the higher rows, Magneto tapped on the glass window. Peering up Pyro saw that it contained a small box, about four inches square, covered entirely in shiny silver paper.  
  
"What is it?" Pyro asked, unimpressed. After all this trouble, they weren't going after the jewelry, or even the gold bricks in the unit below it, but for a silly little box.  
  
"It is the key to achieving our goals, and proving to the world the absolute superiority of the Mutant Race," Magneto declaimed passionately.  
  
Whatever," Pyro rolled his eyes. "Can we take the gold too?"  
  
"No," Magneto held up a gloved hand. "My contact warned me. The gold has been exposed to a highly deadly form of radiation."  
  
"Bummer."  
  


* * *

The young soldier on gate duty shivered. He watched the mist rise up in ghostly tendrils, creeping along the grassy verge.  
  
Something moved down the road, and he checked the magazine on his sidearm. Something about this fog was really creeping him out. The movement resolved itself a moment later as two people. One of them, a girl, was leaning heavily on the other. keeping his weapon trained on them, he called out to them to halt.  
  
"I found her out on the freeway," the man said gruffly. "Something tore her up pretty bad."  
  
The soldier moved closer, and realized that the girl was badly hurt. Leading the pair closer to the halogen light illuminating the guard house, he heard the girl cough, and saw drops of blood oozing from between her lips.  
  
"C'mon bub," the man growled. "Don't you have a doctor in this place? She needs a doctor," the girl whimpered quietly in pain as the man yelled.  
  
"Just let me call in," the young soldier replied. Backing away, he reached into the guard house, and used the phone to call the base. While he was occupied, he didn't notice the fog thickening, until the light from his guardhouse lamp reached only a few feet away.  
  
"Don't you think you're laying it on a little thick?" Wolverine whispered softly to the severely injured-looking young woman in his arms.  
  
"Oh come on. Would you deny my right to medical attention?"  
  
"No. And I know you're not hurt."  
  
The young soldier returned from the guard shack, just in time to see the young woman collapse to her knees.  
  
"Go on in," he said, eyes wide. "They're expecting you."  
  
Wolverine, his leather jacket hiding the jumpsuit underneath, picked up his injured companion and walked down the road once the soldier had raised the barrier. He didn't notice the darker shapes in the fog, past the man and girl, moving through the gate with them.  
  
Starting back towards the road, the young Private wondered what had attacked that poor girl. Something prompted him to turn, and he found himself face-to-face with a strange young woman.  
  
"Wha-?" before he could finish his question, he was sound asleep, slumped across the desk.  
  
"Sorry kid, you never had a chance," Keahi said, taking the guardhouse phone off the hook.  
  
Further down the road, a door stood open, and two armed guards waited with the base's doctor for the wounded civilian they'd been told to expect. Someone stepped out of the fog, and into the square of light left by the open door.  
  
"Oh my God," the doctor said as he saw the young woman in front of him. "Is she conscious?" she looked as though she had been mauled by a bear.  
  
"No, she was until we got to the gate but..."  
  
"Here," one of the guards said, pointing to a gurney they had brought with them. Laying his burden down, Wolverine sagged against the door frame, carefully severing the phone line while everyone's attention was on the unconscious woman.  
  
The doctor quickly wheeled his patient into the infirmary, asking Wolverine a dozen questions along the way.  
  
"I don't know," he said. "I just found her like this at the side of the highway. Is she gonna be okay?"  
  
"I'll tell you the truth son," the doctor said solemnly. "It looks pretty bad, but I'll do my best," they arrived in the hospital, and the doctor quickly instructed the lone nurse to check her vitals.  
  
The doctor and his nurse worked frantically, trying to save the girl. Unfortunately it wasn't long before the heart monitor began to emit a steady tone. The doctor tried to revive her, but after only twenty minutes he had to pronounce time of death.  
  


* * *

"Oh geeze," Keahi snickered. Cyclops and Storm turned to her but Override, through Rogue, continued to concentrate on picking the lock on the stairwell door.  
  
"Robyn's really overacting."  
  
"How much time have we got?" Aetolus asked.  
  
"Well, she just went into defib. I'd say she could drag it out for about a half hour."  
  
"And why do we need her to do this?"  
  
"Because as long as she and Logan are in there, those two guys with machine guns are watching the infirmary, and not patrolling the halls where they might run into Magneto. And unlike the last time, these soldiers are just doing their jobs, so we don't want to run into them."  
  
"True," Cyclops said.  
  
"Not that I care, you understand," she said matter-of-factly. "But it seems such a waste of effort to kill them if I'm not getting paid for it."  
  
Before Cyclops or Storm could respond, there was a soft _click_, and the door swung open.  
  
"There," Rogue said, handing a small leather tool-case to Aetolus. "That didn't take too long."  
  
"Well, it's not up to your usual standards, but it's not bad," Keahi said.  
  
"Gimme a break, I'm working with an amateur here," Rogue protested. "Hey," she exclaimed, protesting her own statement.  
  
"That is so weird," Cyclops said. "Watching her argue with herself."  
  
"Is it?" Keahi asked "I guess I'm used to it by now."  
  
They filed into the building, quietly closing the door behind them. Following Keahi's lead, they made their way to the infirmary. With a snap of her fingers, Keahi cast her sleep spell on the two guards outside. Through the glass, they could see the nurse leaning over the body on the gurney, and the doctor talking to Wolverine. The body on the gurney surged up, and after a moment's struggle the nurse slumped, unconscious, to the floor. The doctor turned at the sound, and Wolverine knocked him out. The others entered the room as Wolverine and Robyn laid their victims out on gurneys.  
  
Robyn turned, and Storm's eyes went wide. Robyn looked as though she had gotten into a fight with Wolverine and lost.  
  
"Robyn, you look like shit," Keahi said with a laugh.  
  
"Thanks," Robyn said, turning like a runway model so they could see the whole effect. "That's what I was going for," she smiled. "So does anyone know what these people are after?"  
  
"The base doesn't have a research facility," Aetolus said from the infirmary's LAN terminal. "But look at this," he motioned them over. "The security here is way too sophisticated for a simple military facility. There're magnetic card locks, ten digit key codes, retina scanners. And this room," he pointed to a large room in the center of a map of the complex. "Is hermetically sealed, and maintained at a negative pressure. You know what that means don't you?"  
  
"There's either a virus or an airborne toxin being stored there," Keahi said, shaking her head. "That's not good."  
  
"Can you tell where they are?" Robyn asked.  
  
"No. I can't route the video monitoring system through this terminal, it's on a separate server."  
  
"Well, it doesn't take a lot to guess," Rogue said. "There's got to be something in that vault that Magneto wants."  
  


* * *

They made their way through the labyrinthine corridors of the base. The hallways were deserted but the guard they found, sprawled in a bloody mess across the floor, attested to the fact that they hadn't always been.  
  
Wolverine stopped to examine the body, his nostrils flaring.  
  
"Sabretooth's here. I can smell 'im."  
  
"Sabretooth?" Robyn asked.  
  
"He's a mutant, very..."  
  
"I know who Sabretooth _is_," Robyn said with a sigh. "I was just wondering what he was doing here."  
  
"Hair must've grown back," Keahi said with a grin.  
  
"No doubt," Robyn chuckled. "I wish I had a picture of that," she said wistfully. She looked around at everyone. "What? What are we waiting for?"  
  
With a few puzzled looks, the group moved on, following the trail of destruction. They finally arrived, not in the secure area, but in the loading dock.  
  
Magneto looked up from the front seat of the the humvee and saw the X-men.  
  
"Sabretooth, deal with them," he said, over his shoulder to the back of the humvee. The rear hatch opened, and Sabretooth unfolded himself. He turned to face the, and his eyes grew wide as he scented the air. Taking a step closer he peered at them.  
  
Wolverine stepped forward, his claws out.  
  
"He's mine."  
  
Keahi and Robyn peered past Wolverine, one to either side. Smiling evilly, the each pulled out a lighter, and flicked it alight.  
  
With a kitten-like mewl, the fearsome Sabretooth turned on his heel and disappeared into the foggy night.  
  
"Awww," pouting, Keahi and Robyn exchanged a glance.  
  
Magneto stepped out of the humvee, hiding his confusion behind his anger. He had almost made it through this without encountering Charles' students.  
  
"What did you do to him?" Storm asked.  
  
"Reminded him of a traumatic experience from his past," Keahi said, trying not to laugh.  
  
"I will not allow you to interfere with my plans again," Magneto scowled.  
  
"From where I'm standing bub, it doesn't look like you've got much choice," Wolverine replied.  
  
"With the information on these disks," Magneto held up the silver box. "We will end the war between humans and mutants before it even begins.  
  
"Mystique, Pyro," Magneto gestured to the humvee, and his remaining confederates stepped out.  
  
"I don't think I can fight John," Rogue whispered.  
  
"Then don't," Aetolus replied softly, so only she could hear. "Let Override do it."  
  
"Override," Robyn said, watching Mystique and Pyro. "You got it?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Good. Let's play," with a grin, Robyn launched herself at a still disguised Mystique. The pair tumbled off the loading dock. Mystique punched Robyn several times in the face, while trying to strangle her with the other hand. Robyn's laughter only seemed to enraged her further.  
  
With a thought, Pyro encircled their opponents with a ring of towering flames. He stepped up to the edge of the circle, and laughed at his captives.  
  
"Why John?" Rogue said, stepping up to him, the flames leaping between them.  
  
"Because I can," he taunted. He watched as Rogue's expression changed, from one of disgust, to one of peace.  
  
"You're right, he is a jerk," she said, but somehow it didn't sound like her. With only that warning, Pyro had no chance to dodge. Rogue's fist shot through the flames in a right cross to his jaw, impacting with far more force than should have been possible.  
  
With Pyro no longer able to concentrate, the flames began to die.  
  
"What?" Rogue/Override said as they stepped through the dying flames. "My strength is as the strength of ten because my heart is pure."  
  
"Whatever," Aetolus said, advancing on Magneto. Pyro scrambled to his feet and found himself facing off against Storm.  
  
"Do you believe in his cause?" she asked quietly.  
  
"More than I believed in yours," he shouted. "Now shut up and fight me," he gathered the flames in his hands and began to toss fireballs in Storm's direction.  
  
Calling upon the power for which she was named, Storm rose up, hovering over her opponent. Tendrils of fog began to creep in through the open doors, moving like badly-filmed stop motion animation. A strong wind pulled at their clothes, finally growing strong enough to obey its Mistress, pulling Pyro out through the bay doors, and disappearing into the fog.  
  
Flashes of flame lit the fog from within, proving that Storm and Pyro continued to do battle.  
  
Magneto now stood alone, facing Cyclops, Wolverine, Rogue, and two people he had never met.  
  
"The odds are a bit... uneven, don't you think?" with a gesture, Magneto sent Wolverine careening out into the night. A moment later, several of the crates cluttering the loading dock fell apart as the nails and staples holding them together suddenly shot towards the remaining X-men.  
  
"Dork," Keahi said. She snapped her fingers, and stopped the projectiles in mid-air. The nails clattered harmlessly to the ground. Cyclops was about to take a shot, when Rogue and Aetolus charged at Magneto.  
  
"Rogue, no," he shouted. Aetolus had pulled a sword from somewhere, and was hacking mercilessly at Magneto. On his other side, Rogue was showing some amazing skill, wielding a 2x4. The pair were working so well in tandem, it was as though they had been fighting side by side for years.  
  


* * *

Somewhere out in the fog, Mystique fought savagely against her new enemy, striving to find a way to use her abilities to advantage. As always, Mystique fought silently, not wasting her breath on useless banter. Facing her, Robyn was humming cheerfully to herself as they traded blows.  
  
Leaping up, Mystique spun into a high kick, trying to cave in Robyn's head. Reaching up lazily, Robyn grabbed Mystique by the ankle. Using her own momentum against her, the blue-skinned seductress was flung out into the fog.  
  
Taking the opportunity presented to her, Mystique shifted, and Wolverine stepped through the thick fog. Moving back to where her opponent stood, Mystique found herself face-to-face with Magneto.  
  
"Wait," she held up her hands. "It's me," she concentrated, and Wolverine melted away.  
  
"I know," Magneto said coldly. He held up a hand, and strands of thick steel cable shot out of the darkness, binding her tightly to a nearby tree.  
  
Within the fog, the battles continued. Occasionally the partners in this strange dance would change, as they lost each other in the fog. For a time, Pyro battled with Wolverine, then Cyclops and Storm again. Keahi, Aetolus and Rogue battled Magneto, with help from Storm and Robyn.  
  
Cyclops moved warily through the fog, very aware of the fact that his visor limited his field of vision. Something moved behind him, and he spun around, not knowing what to expect. Keahi materialized out of the mist, and stopped just in front of him.  
  
"Is that you?" he asked, poised to fire. Keahi shot him an amused look.  
  
"And what _exactly_ would you do if I said no?" she waited a moment for an answer. "Anyways, it's me. Robyn's having an attack of nostalgia, and if you come across someone tied to a tree..."  
  
"Tied to a tree?"  
  
"Yes, a tree. Don't worry, it's just Mystique."  
  
"How do I know you're not Mystique trying to trick me?"  
  
"I could light your eyebrows on fire. Or we could talk about the incident with Override in the danger room?"  
  
"Let's not," he said.  
  
"Didn't think so. You might want to go start the jet. We'll need to be leaving in something of a hurry."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because the cavalry is on its way. The 42nd Cavalry, Tank Division to be exact. They're returning from training maneuvers."  
  
"We need to get the others," he turned to head back into the fog.  
  
"It's okay. Robyn's got it looked after."  
  
"Are you sure?" Keahi stared at him for a moment, not speaking. "I'll take that as a yes."  
  
"Good boy."  
  


* * *

Aetolus and Rogue still fought Magneto, trading witty banter along with blows.  
  
"You cannot stop me," Magneto shouted, trying to bind his opponents together with a chunk of chain-link fence ripped from its mooring.  
  
"I think we already have," Aetolus said, cutting through the fencing easily. "Listen."  
  
A distant rumbling could be heard, drawing closer. Distracted, Magneto didn't notice Rogue launch herself at him. Almost knocking Magneto over, Rogue punched him squarely in the solar plexus.  
  
Magneto, howling in pain, flung Rogue out into the fog. There was a sickening crunch, and the sound of a tree crashing to the ground.  
  
"Rogue," Aetolus cried, shocked, and ran towards the sound, abandoning his battle with Magneto.  
  
"Fools," Magneto smirked. "So unwilling to accept losses," pulling the little box out of his pocket, he checked to be sure it hadn't been damaged. Once he had assured himself the disks were intact, he strode off in search of his associates.  
  
"Come hither, I am here," a voice called out of the fog. "Follow me... I'll whip you," Magneto could hear the voices of his enemies circling him. He thought he could also hear Pyro and Mystique responding to the voices, being lead in circles.   
  
Wolverine prowled through the forest, searching. He hadn't seen any of his teammates in quite a while, but he had picked up on Magneto's scent. He had something of a bone to pick with that hypocritical bastard. Something moved in the fog, and Wolverine crouched low, trying to pick up a scent. A familiar shape coalesced out of the haze, and Wolverine found himself face-to-face with... himself.  
  
"Not this again," he growled. He extended his claws, and started to circle to the left. His Doppelganger moved with him, like a mirror image. He feinted to the right, and the other Wolverine moved left.  
  
This was different than his last fight with Mystique. She was much more aggressive, she'd attacked much sooner than this  
  
"Robyn?"  
  
"Took you long enough."  
  


* * *

"Did you enjoy yourself?" Keahi asked, as Robyn stepped into the jet, grinning.  
  
"What kind of stupid question is that? Robyn asked, her eyes twinkling. "I just spent the last half an hour leading people astray in the fog."  
  
"Do you do things like that often?" Storm asked.  
  
"Often enough..."  
  
"Well, Magneto got away. And he's got those disks, and we have no clue what's on them," Cyclops shook his head angrily.  
  
"Yeah," Aetolus said. "That's what he thinks too..." 

* * *

Deep in his island fortress, Magneto carefully removed the protective anti-static paper wrapped around the disks. He handed the disk labelled '#1' to Mystique who sat, sulking, in front of the sophisticated computer system.  
  
"Why didn't they just burn it to CD?" Pyro wondered aloud.  
  
"Because CD's are harder to destroy," Mystique snapped, sliding the disk into the drive. A few keystrokes later, the words "run program y/n?" appeared on the screen. She looked over her shoulder and at Magneto's gesture, pressed 'Y.'  
  
Code scrolled across the screen, checking for system requirements and available hard drive space. Finally, the program's opening animation began, announcing to the Brotherhood of Mutants that they were now the proud owners of Disco Lemmings vs. Jaws: Revenge of the Small Furry Cocktail Snacks.

* * *

  
"... so then I switched his disks with a set Aetolus had on him. I'd love to be a fly on the wall when they run that."  
  
"Do we even know what's on these disks?" Cyclops asked.  
  
"Yes," Keahi replied. "Aetolus and I decoded the disks, and it's the formula for a compound designed to combine DNA sequences from different species. If this was ever released..." "I see," Xavier said. "This would affect everyone, humans and mutants alike."  
  
"Not just humans," Keahi said. "This compound can affect anything's DNA, animal of vegetable. It might trigger the X-factor in some people, but by then they wouldn't really be people anymore."  
  
"That doesn't sound pleasant," Jean said.  
  
"That's a bit of an understatement," Robyn said. "You don't want to see some of the pictures that went with that report," she shivered.  
  
"It's a good thing Magneto didn't get this formula then."  
  
"Yes. He might underestimate the extreme nature of this substance," Xavier said.  
  
"We can all be blind sometimes, about those things closest to our hearts," Robyn smiled. "And that's my poignant moment for today. Now, Override. It's time."  
  
"Do I have to?" Override asked, using Rogue's voice.  
  
"Your other option is always to go home," Aetolus said with a shrug.  
  
"Yeah. Like that's going to happen," Rogue closed her eyes for a moment, then held out her hand.  
  
Jean and Xavier watched as a halo of light formed around Rogue. For a moment, it was like double exposed film. Rogue was still standing there, but so was a young man dressed in a toga and cross-gartered sandals.  
  
Aetolus reached out his hand, and took Rogue's. Override stepped away from Rogue towards Aetolus, following the path their linked hands made. As he stood face-to-face with Aetolus, it was easy to see the family resemblance; they had the same build, the same walk, and that same infectious grin. A moment later, Override disappeared, merging with Aetolus.  
  
Turning to Rogue, the Professor and Jean discovered Robyn helping her sit down on one of the couches.  
  
"Here," Robyn said, handing the girl a can of cola. "It'll make you feel a bit better."  
  
"What's wrong?" Jean asked, moving to Rogue's other side and taking her pulse.  
  
"It's just a bit of shock. The human body wasn't designed to have two people living in it. She'll be fine in the morning," Aetolus said. "She just needs some sleep."  
  
Rogue finished the cola, and handed the can back to Robyn.  
  
"I'm fine now," she said. "Just a little tired."  
  
Aetolus said something softly in a foreign language, and Rogue laughed tiredly.  
  
"No, I'm fine. I don't think I could deal with the advice."  
  
"Fair enough," Aetolus said. "He just asked me to pass on the offer."  
  
"Offer?" Jean asked, confused.  
  
"It's personal," Rogue said and blushing, she turned away.  
  
Something flew in through an open window, and landed on the arm of the couch Robyn was sitting on. She turned and looked into the huge staring eyes of a great horned owl. It hooted softly at Robyn, and held out it's leg. She untied something from it's leg, and unfolded a sheet of parchment.  
  
"Thanks," Robyn absentmindedly to the owl. It hooted at her again, more forcefully this time. "What?" She turned back to the front of the envelope, and sighed. "COD? How nice," she rummaged around in the little pouch hanging from her belt, and handed a little silver coin to the owl, which hooted softly again, and flew away.  
  
"Well, this isn't good," she said, handing the letter to Keahi.  
  


* * *

The next morning found Robyn, Aetolus and Keahi preparing to leave.  
  
"I'm sorry we can't persuade you to stay a while longer," the Professor said.  
  
"So am I," Robyn said. "But we've got to be going. Something's come up," she shook Xavier's hand, then turned to Logan. "Come visit us sometime eh? I'll buy you a two-four."  
  
"Sure, sounds good," he said gruffly, as Robyn hugged him. She chuckled, and poked him in the shoulder as she moved away. "Is this something we can help you with?"  
  
"I'll let you know, okay?" Robyn said over her shoulder as she unlocked the car's doors.  
  
As he shook Aetolus' hand, Logan jumped as something smacked him in the behind. He spun around, and discovered Keahi grinning at him.   
  
"How well do we know each other?" Logan asked, as the three visitors climbed into the car.  
  
"Well," Keahi said. "I know where your birthmark is... " she grinned evilly.  
  
"Birthmark?" Jean said. "You don't have a birthmark."  
  
"Yes," Logan said. "I do..."

**_Fin_**

* * *

Hope you enjoyed this story! For original stories starring Robyn and the gang, visit http:www.psychosix.com 


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